Swimming performance of pregnant live-bearing fish is presumably constrained by the additional drag associated with the reproductive burden. Yet, it is still unclear how and to what extent the reproductive investment affects body drag of the females. We examined the effect of different levels of reproductive investment on body drag. The biggest measured increase in body volume due to pregnancy was about 43%, linked to a wetted area increase of about 16% and 69% for the frontal area. We printed three-dimensional models of live-bearing fish in a straight body posture representing different reproductive allocation (RA) levels. We measured the drag and visualized the flow around these models in a flow tunnel at different speeds. Drag grew in a power fashion with speed and exponentially with the increase of RA, thus drag penalty for becoming thicker was relatively low for low speeds compared to high ones. We show that the drag increase with increasing RA was most probably due to bigger regions of flow separation behind the enlarged belly. We suggest that the rising drag penalty with an increasing RA, possibly together with pregnancy-related negative effects on muscle- and abdominal bending performance, will reduce the maximum swimming speed.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6408347 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2018.0714 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Age and growth patterns of the ten spotted live-bearing fish (Cnesterodon decemmaculatus) along a polluted freshwater system.
J Fish Biol
December 2024
Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas), Córdoba, Argentina.
Age and growth patterns of fish provide important information about the effects of environmental disturbances, which can be used as comparative tools in subsequent studies that attempt to assess freshwater quality. The main goal of our study was to provide information on relevant biological aspects of a native fish species used as a bioindicator in an extensive area of South America. In particular, we evaluated the age and growth patterns of Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Poeciliidae) to establish reference species values and to compare them in different sites along an environmental quality gradient in a South American freshwater system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvolution: Repeat adaptation in the hot spring.
Curr Biol
November 2024
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12800, Czech Republic; Division of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland. Electronic address:
Live-bearing fish have repeatedly adapted to life in sulfidic hot springs. A new study finds consistent changes in morphology, physiology and gene expression but no repeated genomic adaptation. This raises further questions about genetic redundancy, polygenic adaptation and the broader significance of repeated adaptation in natural systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStructural genomic variation and behavioral interactions underpin a balanced sexual mimicry polymorphism.
Curr Biol
October 2024
Department of Biology, Stanford University, 327 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de las Huastecas "Aguazarca" A.C., 16 de Septiembre, 392 Barrio Aguazarca, Calnali, Hidalgo 43240, México; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 327 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address:
How phenotypic diversity originates and persists within populations are classic puzzles in evolutionary biology. While balanced polymorphisms segregate within many species, it remains rare for both the genetic basis and the selective forces to be known, leading to an incomplete understanding of many classes of traits under balancing selection. Here, we uncover the genetic architecture of a balanced sexual mimicry polymorphism and identify behavioral mechanisms that may be involved in its maintenance in the swordtail fish Xiphophorus birchmanni.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHormonal dynamics of matrotrophy vs. lecithotrophy in live-bearing fish reproduction.
Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol
October 2024
Department of Biology, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA; The Institue for Molecular Life Sciences, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how gestational states, fecundity, and steroid hormone levels vary among three types of live-bearing fish with different reproductive strategies.
- The two lecithotrophic species rely on yolk for embryo nourishment, while the matrotrophic species actively transfers nutrients, which likely increases energetic demands.
- Although no direct links were found between hormones and fecundity, matrotrophic fish exhibited distinct hormone patterns, with higher progesterone and lower estradiol levels, emphasizing the role of progesterone in gestation.
Evidence for gene flow and trait reversal during radiation of Mexican Goodeid fish.
Heredity (Edinb)
August 2024
Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
Understanding the phylogeographic history of a group and identifying the factors contributing to speciation is an important challenge in evolutionary biology. The Goodeinae are a group of live-bearing fishes endemic to Mexico. Here, we develop genomic resources for species within the Goodeinae and use phylogenomic approaches to characterise their evolutionary history.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!